Page 60 of Jack

“Was it from Fitz?”

Will nodded. “I traced it back to him, yes.”

Jack resumed walking, wanting to get to Astrid now and tell her everything. “That sneaky fucker.”

“Yeah, but it worked out. Eidolon is a force to be reckoned with now because of you, Jack.”

“I appreciate you saying that, brother, but without your funds, it wouldn’t be what it is today.”

“We make a good team, don’t we?”

Jack slung his arm over his brother’s shoulders. “We sure do.”

Will grinned. “Astrid has changed you, Jack.”

“For the better?”

“Not better or worse, she’s just shown you it’s okay to let go sometimes, to show people how you feel.”

“It’s hard to undo a lifetime of conditioning, but I’m trying.”

“You’ve always been a good man, Jack. Who else spends thousands of pounds on play equipment so his admin manager can bring her daughter to work?”

“Hey, without Autumn I’d be lost. That’s just good business sense and she’s worth every penny.”

“Whatever, bro.”

“What do you think the girls will make of this?”

“Not sure, but there’s Aubrey now. Let’s find out.”

“Hey, Brey. Where’s Astrid?”

Her panicked look suddenly registered on Jack’s face, and his chest tightened with anxiety.

“I don’t know. She went to the toilet fifteen minutes ago and never came back. I checked everywhere, and I can’t find her.”

Jack’s whole world seemed to fade to nothing except the urgent need to get Astrid back to him where she belonged, and he didn’t care what or who he had to kill to make that happen.

His phone rang, and he saw it was Alex. “Alex.”

“Jack, police just found a bomb outside the Palace gates. We need to go.”

He knew this was his father. Divide and conquer was his aim and by attacking the Palace he knew Jack would send his team to protect the Queen while holding Astrid over Jack’s head. “I can’t. My father has Astrid.”

“Fuck.” Alex sounded torn.

Divide and conquer, except his father hadn’t bargained on his secret weapon.

“Take the team and Fortis to the Palace. I need to find Astrid.”

“Jack, who’s going to help you?”

“I have Zenobi and my family.”

Jack hung up safe in the knowledge that Alex could handle things and called the one woman he’d vowed never to ask for help.

“Roz, I need your help.”